Profiles

Our law firm offers highly trained and experienced attorneys who care about their clients and their cases. We provide professional representation across a diverse range of law practices.
The profiles listed below include information for each of our attorneys and their areas of practice.

Wentworth “Jack” Marshall, Jr. focuses his practice in the areas of corporate and business law, probate, estate planning, and real estate. With nearly sixty years of experience, Jack provides Smith Marshall’s clients with a wealth of knowledge in these areas. He has been rated “AV” through Martindale Hubbell’s peer rating service (Legal ability "Very High to Preeminent" and general ethical reputation "Very High").

Jack counsels a number of small and medium-sized businesses in the Cleveland area. The business aspect of the practice might find Jack assisting a client with a wide variety of employment, contract and business succession issues, from retention of key employees to sales or purchases of assets or stock.

Jack’s extensive real estate background enables him to advise clients on all aspects of transactions. During his career, Jack has successfully guided clients through leases or purchases of both residential and commercial properties.

Finally, Jack has advised families on wealth transfer avenues and estate planning. Jack has assisted clients with estate tax avoidance through trusts and with transferring assets through proper planning. His experience with probate has enabled clients to successfully carry out their loved one’s estate planning wishes.

Jack was the founding soccer coach at Fenn College, which later became Cleveland State University, and he was elected to Cleveland State’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. His love for the game inspired him to found the Orange Crush Soccer Club, a youth travel soccer club, and he was involved with it for over 40 years. Jack is an active member of Lord of Life Lutheran Church.

Philip J. Weaver, Jr.

Email: pjw@smithmarshall.comAdmitted to Bar: Ohio, 1974
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 1976
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1983
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 1990
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1992
U.S. District Court, Colorado, 1999Education:
Wittenberg University (A.B. Chemistry, 1969)
The Ohio State University (J.D., cum laude, 1974)

Phil’s practice focus is a broad range of litigation matters involving personal injury and business disputes. His more recent sub-specialties are construction law, medical negligence, product liability, and municipal corporation law. In his forty-plus years at the firm, Phil’s trial and appellate skills have taken him from state and federal courts in Ohio to Michigan, Louisiana, and Colorado. He has Martindale Hubbell’s highest peer-review “AV” rating (legal ability "Very High to Preeminent" and general ethical reputation "Very High"). As Phil’s career begins to wind down, he plans to assist others in mediating or arbitrating their disputes, rather than litigating them.

In his spare time, Phil enjoys golf, bowling, snow skiing, traveling with his wife, and being with his grandchildren. In his spare, spare time, Phil attempts to stay fit.

Eric has been with Smith Marshall since 1995, and his practice focuses on litigation, business law, probate and estate planning. He works closely with insurance companies to defend their insureds in litigation, and also handles coverage matters. Additionally, Eric represents major commercial transportation companies, and a number of small to mid-sized businesses in courts throughout Northern Ohio.

Finally, Eric has developed a strong background in probate and estate planning, going back to his initial years of practice. He counsels individuals and their families on planning for the successful transfer of their assets to loved ones. This includes wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Eric also assists individuals after the death of a family member or loved one. He works with clients through this difficult time to ease the transfer of assets through probate or trust administration.

His involvement with the transfer of assets in estates led to an expertise with real estate transactions. Eric has been involved with residential sales, purchases and leases. He also counsel business clients on commercial leases and sales or purchases of real estate.

Eric has been rated “AV” through Martindale Hubbell’s peer rating service (Legal ability "Very High to Preeminent" and general ethical reputation "Very High").

Eric is an active member of his community. He is a member of St. Bartholomew’s Parish, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Lawyers Guild of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Eric has coached soccer for many years, and now coaches both soccer and baseball in Middleburg Heights. Recently, the City of Middleburg Heights recognized Eric as its Coach of the Year. Eric also serves as Vice-Chairman on the Planning Commission for the City of Middleburg Heights.

Kallen L. Boyer

Email: klb@smithmarshall.comAdmitted to Bar: Ohio, 2015Education:
Mercyhurst University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2009)
The University of Akron School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2015)

Kallen joined Smith Marshall in 2015, and her practice focuses on litigation and business law. Additionally, Kallen handles various corporate, employment and contract mattters for small to mid-sized businesses.

Kallen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English at Mercyhurst University where she played varsity waterpolo and graduated
summa cum laude in 2009. Kallen attended The University of Akron School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2015.
During law school, Kallen was a member of the Mock Trial Team and heavily involved with the Student Bar Association. She
became a member of the Ohio Bar in 2015. In her spare time, Kallen enjoys tutoring students, coaching age group swim team,
and creative writing.

David Ledman – Of Counsel

Email: ledmanlaw@lightstream.netAdmitted to Bar: State of Ohio, 1987
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, 1987
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1988
U.S. Tax Court, 1996
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, 2010

Education:
Miami University (B.A., 1984)
The Ohio State University College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1987)

Dave was an associate with Smith Marshall from 1990 to 1995, and returned as “of counsel” in 2010. Dave has a general civil practice, with a focus on commercial and retail collections, creditor’s rights, corporate and business law, trust and estate planning, probate and trust administration, and general trial practice.

Dave works with collection agents and agencies, and he also represents numerous businesses and business owners with the collection of their unpaid accounts. He has extensive experience with multiple types of collection work, including commercial and business collections, retail and consumer collections, insurance subrogation, private child support collections, student loan collections and many others. He is bonded through multiple law lists, presently including the American Lawyers Company, the General Bar and the International Law List.

Dave also represents numerous family and closely-owned businesses and business owners with transactional and compliance matters, including business formation, ownership agreements, management agreements, mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate purchases, sales and leasing, business disputes and litigation.

Dave also counsels individuals regarding estate and trust planning, and he represents administrators, executors and trustees in connection with probate and trust administration.

Finally, Dave has a general civil trial practice background, including experience with business litigation and personal injury litigation, as well as private mediation and commercial arbitration of disputes through the American Arbitration Association.

Dave graduated from Miami University in 1984 and earned his law degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1987, graduating cum laude. Dave is a member of the Order of the Coif, and he became a member of the Ohio bar in 1987. Dave is admitted to practice in all courts of the State of Ohio, the United States Districts Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the United States Tax Court.

Dave is a member of the Gyro Club of Painesville. Also, he is an avid golfer, and a member of Quail Hollow Country Club.

Tanya R. Ring – Office Manager

Tanya has been with Smith Marshall, LLP for 25 years. A valuable member of our staff, Tanya is in charge of all billing and financial matters for the firm.

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